1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a modular storage unit of box-like shape formed of flat panels fastened along their longitudinal edges by a set of identical connectors each having a longitudinal rib and a longitudinal recess. The rib of one connector slideably interfits with the recess of another connector so that a plurality of units may be arranged in a self supporting stack and one or more units may be slideably shifted or removed from the stack without disturbance to and without collapse of the remaining stacked units.
2. The Prior Art
Perhaps the closest prior art structure to the present invention is disclosed in the U.S. patent, of which Bishoff is coinventor, No. 4,192,562, issued Mar. 11, 1980. In this patent each storage unit is a three dimensioned open frame formed by a set of four longitudinal, four vertical and four cross bars, each frame being capable of being closed to a box-like structure by addition of flat panels or boxes. The longitudinal bars are provided with a rib and a recess that enable adjacent units to be slideably interfitted, as well as additional notches for receiving and fastening the cross bars and the panels. The present invention is an improvement thereon which greatly simplifies the structure and greatly reduces the cost of fabricating the device. This is accomplished by eliminating the four vertical and four cross bars and reducing the structure to a plurality of rigid panels, which may be identical, and a plurality of identical connectors which fasten the panels at right angles to one another along their longitudinal edges, and also slideably interfit with connectors of adjacent units. The connectors are also simplified in structure to comprise elongated angle members requiring less material and provided with a complementary rib and recess for interfitting, and with U-shaped seats for frictionally fastening the panels, each connector being structured to be inexpensively extruded in its essential and final shape and cross sectional size.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,836,218 issued to Alfred Jean Hallal on Sept. 17, 1974, has a degree of similarity to the present invention in utilizing elongated horizontal connectors to mate with cubical box units for holding the latter in stacked configurations. The patent connectors each comprise four T-shaped ribs arranged in a cross and the box units have T-shaped grooves formed in each wall surface to slideably receive a connector rib. The patent connectors do not function to fasten the box panels together as in the present invention. Instead the box unit of the patent must be assembled and expensively machined with mating T-shaped grooves to receive the connectors. The present invention utilizes inexpensive flat panels and the connectors not only fasten the panels perpendicular to one another but permit each unit to be slideably removed from a stack.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,491,896 issued to T. H. Crary on Jan. 27, 1970, provides a rib and a recess at each of opposite sides of flat panels to mate with those of other panels to form box-like units held in stacked configuration. Thus the patentee does not use separate connectors to fasten the panels together, nor are his units after stacking intended to be normally slideable with respect to one another. Where the patentee suggests use of separate bars with ribs and recesses, they are utilized to rigidify the structure and conceal the tenons and grooves at the edges of assembled panels. A somewhat similar structure to that of Crary is disclosed in the Giancarlo Piretti U.S. Pat. No. 3,722,704 issued on Mar. 27, 1973. Piretti also utilizes flat, rigid panels having a coupling rib and groove formed at each of opposite sides, the coupling elements being provided in edges angled at 45.degree. to the plane of the panel.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,279 issued to Peter Ackeret on Jan. 6, 1981, like the Hallal patent briefly described above, discloses rectangular storage units having mating sliding configurations at their sides and at their top and bottom surfaces. The patentee does not use connectors for fastening panels together in box form. Upper and lower plates with complementary interfitting ribs and grooves are used by the patentee to hold a vertical stack of storage units and to connect them to an adjacent stack. U.s. Pat. No. 3,999,818 issued Dec. 28, 1976 to Martin M. Schankler also discloses an interlocking system of cartridges or boxes in which the interfitting ribs and recesses are molded in the walls of the boxes, no separate connectors being used to fasten the walls of the boxes together.
The Patent U.S. No. 4,045,104 issued to Clinton B. Peterson on Aug. 30, 1977 does utilize connectors having U-shaped slots to fasten panels into a box shape, but there are no complementary ribs and recesses on the connectors for sliding interfit with an adjacent box. A similar diasadvantage lies with the connectors disclosed by Johannes M. Verholt in U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,299 issued June 28, 1974. A further disadvantage of the dozen or so variations of connector design illustrated in the last named patent is that each connector has short inturned hook flanges, which require the machining, or otherwise forming, of mating grooves in the panels secured to the connectors.
In the present invention one embodiment forms a connector and a panel integrally as a one-piece member but the combined connector panel still functions not only to fasten the member perpendicularly to a second member but also to slideably link a storage unit comprising the said two members to another storage unit formed of similar members. None of the patents mentioned above disclose or teach this dual function.